Vacuum cleaning apparatus.



F. J. MATGHETTE.

VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS.

nrmonzou FILED 8BPT.16, 1911.

1,104,060. Patented July 21, 19m

I 1112676601"; 77 ntnesses;

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THE NORRIS PETERS cu was nnwyau u c nrrnn s'ra'rns TPATENT orrron.

FRANK J. MATGI-IETTE, OFlVIILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. MAToHn'r'rE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaning apparatus of the class shown and described in United States LettersPatent No. 870,981, which has a dust-receptacle and vacuum reservoir and in which the vacuum is automatically controlled and regulated according to the demands onthe apparatus byrendering the vacuum producing means operative or inoperative as the service pres-v sure rises or falls within certain limits, thereby conserving power and maintaining the required vacuum or pressure for the most effective and'economical operation of the apparatus under varying conditions.

The object of the present invention is'to dispose of the dust and dirt drawn into the apparatus without care or attention on the part of the operator, the vacuum reservoir which serves for the accumulation and storage of vacuum when the pump or air exhausting means is rendered inactive or cut out of service being so arranged and connected with the pump or air exhausting means and with the service main'or suction pipe that it will also serve to receive and temporarily store the dust and dirt drawn into the apparatus during .the intervals while the pump or air exhausting means is inactive or cut out, but when the pump or air exhausting means is started or brought into action bythe automatic controller, any

accumulation of dust'and dirt in the reservoir will be withdrawn therefrom, and dust and dirt drawn into the service main will be discharged therefrom without passing.

into said reservoir.

i It consists 1n thGCQIIStIuCtlOIl, arrange- .ment and combination ofparts as herein after particularly described and pointed out in the claimsf In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in both.

figures.

Figure lis an elevation and vertical section on the line 11, Fig. 2 of apparatus embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is an ele- Specification of Letters Patent.

VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application filed September 16, 1911. Serial No. 649,691.

vation of part of the apparatus as viewed from the right relative to Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, a designates a suction pipe or service main provided at a convenient point or points therein with branches or service connections 6, for the attache ment of hose or flexible pipes 0, by which cleaning tools of various kinds such as cl, are movably and operatively connected therewith. Each branch or servicev connection is preferably provided with a valve 6, and each tool is provided adjacent to its con nection with the hose or flexible pipe 0 with a valve f for conveniently closing communication between the service main a and the tool when the latter is not in use. The valves 6 are used to close the service connections when the hose or flexible pipes and tools are disconnected and removed, while the valves f are used for temporarily cut-v ting the tools off from the service main when the operation of the tools is discontinued convenient part of the building in which the apparatus is installed and preferably formed with a conical or funnel shaped bot tom terminating at its lower end in an opening, is connected-byv a T-fitting h with the suction pipe or service main" a. Air exhausting means such for example, as an aspirator or ejector i, is connected by a pipe j, with the T-fitting h in alinement with the suction pipe or service main at, below the vacuum reservoir and dust receiver 9, the

T-fitting serving as a common connection for said pipe or main and the air exhausting means with the opening in the lower part of the reservoir. The pipe'or main a may be separately connected with the reservoir, although it is preferably connected therewith and with the aspirator or air exhausting means, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to form a direct connection between said plpe or main and the suction pipeof the aspirator and a common connection between them and the opening in the lower part of the reservoir. The suction pipe 7' of the aspirator is connected withthe reservoir g below the discharge opening in the lower'partthereof, so that when the aspiratoris started after a period of inactivity,.the discharge of any accumulation of dust and dirt from the res ervoir into said pipe will be caused or aided by gravity, and the suctionpipe or service main a is connected with the suction pipe j below the reservoir, as above stated, so that when the aspirator or vacuum producing means is in operation, dust and dirt will flow directly from said suction pipe or service main into the pipe without passing through or falling by gravity into and tending to accumulate in the reservoir. The aspirator or ejector 2' may be operated by steam, water or compressed air, the supply pipe for the actuating medium being provided with a valve Z, which is opened and closed according to variations of vacuum or pressure in the apparatus by the piston or movable part of a motor m. The operation of the motor at is governed by an automatic controller a, which is connected by a pipe 0 with the reservoir q or other part of the apparatus in which vacuum or service pressure is maintained. The motor at may be actuated by the vacuum or other power, subject to the automatic controller a. Preterably the means employed to operate the valve Z are such that the valve will be opened and closed at separate predetermined maximum and minimum limits of pressure or vacuum, which may be adjusted according to varying conditions. As the particular construction of such means is not material to the present invention, and as such means are well known in the vacuum cleaning art, it is unnecessary to show and describe them in detail.

The pipe j is provided between the reservoir g and the aspirator or ejector z' with a check valve 72 adapted to close toward the reservoir and thus prevent depletion and waste of vacuum by the back flow of air through the pipe j into the reservoir when the air exhausting means is inactive or in operative.

The pipe 7a is preferably provided shown in F 2, with a valve g for cutting oil the supply of the actuating medium to the aspirator or ejector 2' independently of the automatic valve Z. is. drain or waste pipe 7* provided with a valve 8, may be connected with the pipe 70, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the apparatus the aspirator i or air exhausting means operating subject to the automatic controller it, acts intermittently according to variations in the vacuum or service pressure due to the varying demand upon the apparatus result ing from the simultaneous use of more or less tools or tools of different kinds requiring a greater or less volume of air. lVhen the demand. is light, as when a single or a few tools or tools of small size are used, the aspirate-r i or air exhausting means will be cut out or remain inactive or inoperative for longer intervals than when the demand is heavy, as when more or larger tools are used.

The automatic control and regulation of the vacuum or service pressure being effected in apparatus of this class by cutting off the aspirator or air exhausting means from the service main for longer or shorter periods according to the varying demand on the apparatus, a reservoir is provided for supplying vacuum or service pressure during the intervals when the air exhausting means is inactive or inoperative, so that the use of the tool or tools connected with the appara- -tus may continue without interruption. By

the construction, arrangement and connec-' tion of this reservoir with other parts of the apparatus as herein shown and described, it is made to serve also as a temporary dust receiver during the intervals when the air exhausting means is inactive or inoperative. Provision is also made for the disposal of dust and dirt drawn into the apparatus, without care or attention on the part of opcraters or attendants. ld hile the aspirator 17 or air exhausting means is in action and operative communication with the pipe or main 0;, the dust and dirt drawn into the apparatus through the too-ls connected there with is directly discharged through the pipe 7' and from the aspirator, which is connected by a discharge pipe 25 with a stack, sewer or other convenient waste conduit, or even with the open air, without passing into the res ervoir 9. During the intervals when the aspirator 2' or air exhausting means is inactive or inoperative and the check valve b is'closed cutting it off from communication with the reservoir g, the dirt and dust entrained with air through the pipe or main a,

pass into and are temporarily stored in said reservoir. As soon however, as the aspirator or air exhausting means is started or operatively connected again with the reser voir, it draws the accumulated dirt and dust therefrom, discharging them through the pipe 6, the reservoir g thus serving not only as a vacuum reservoir, but also as a temporary dust receiver during the intervals the air exhausting means is cut out or inactive. This reservoir also serves to avoid sudden and frequent cutting in and out of the air exhausting means, particularly in connection with small plants where the service main or mains and piping connected therewith do not afford suflicient capacity for the smooth and satisfactory operation of the apparatus.

Various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts of the apparatus with in the scope of the following claims may be made, without departure from the principle and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. In vacuum cleaning apparatus the com bination of a suction service pipe, a vacuum storage reservoir with which said pipe con nects, having a dust discharge opening in the lower part thereof, and. air exhausting means connected with said opening below said res ervoir.

2. In vacuum cleaning apparatus the combination with a vacuum and dust storage reservoir havlng a discharge opening in the lower part thereof, of a suction pipe and air exhausting means having a common connection with said discharge opening below said reservoir.

3. In vacuum cleaning apparatus the combination of a vacuum reservoir having a dust discharge opening in the lower part thereof, a suction service pipe or service main connected with said reservoir, intermittently operating air exhausting means connected with said discharge opening below said reservoir, and a check valve in the connection between the reservoir and air exhausting means arranged to close when the air exhausting means is rendered inoperative.

4:. In vacuum cleaning apparatus the combination of a vacuum reservoir having a dust discharge opening in the lower part thereof,

a suction pipe or service main connected with said reservoir, air exhausting means connected with said discharge opening below said reservoir, a check valve in the connection between the reservoir and the air exhausting means adapted to close when the tive, and means adapted to automatically render the air exhausting means operative and inoperative according to variations of vacuum in the apparatus.

- 5. In vacuum cleaning apparatus the combination of avacuum reservoir havinga dust discharge opening in the lower part thereof, a suction pipe or service main connected with said opening, air exhausting means connected with said suction pipe or service main in alinement therewith adjacent to its connection with and below the reservoir, a check valve in the connection between the air exhausting means and the suction pipe or service main adapted to close when the air exhausting means is inactive or inoperative, and automatic means actuated by variations of vacuum in the apparatus to render the air exhausting means operative and inoperative.

' In witness whereof I hereto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. FRANK J. MATCHETTE. Witnesses:

PERCY S. KAUFMAN, JOHN H. HURLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. G. 

